Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi

It is a pure gem, golden gem from the French movie industry and which is unfortunately not known enough. I have rarely seen a so accurate relationship study. It is a really rollercoaster, thanks to Daniel Duval's performance - as a toxic and invading lover - and of course Nathalie Baye's. A real rollercoaster, because Daniel Duval plays a totally unpredictable man, always on the edge, a razor's edge. It is riveting, stunning, so powerful that you have to be prepared before watching it. It shows how much complicated human relations are. One can be attracted by someone else who is very destructive. It is a downbeat tale, when you never know in advance what's going to happen the next minute. By the way, Nathalie Baye played in another film, very close to this one, UNE LIAISON PORNOGRAPHIQUE, one year later, co starring Sergi Lopez, and which I confound with this one, though the "intensity" is not exactly the same. I will comment it soon.

An intense film about a difficult and volatile relationship set in a district of Paris. Muriel (Nathalie Baye) meets Samuel (Daniel Duval) on the train, he says he would like to spend the night with her. Later he tracks her down and in spite of herself, Muriel enters into a relationship with Daniel, which is the subject of the film. Samuel proves to be a proud passionate and insanely jealous man. Muriel is a successful film editor who lives alone but involved in a relationship that is coming to an end. Why should she entertain Samuel with his male machismo, his temper, his rough sex and his possesiveness, well the film succeeds in making us believe that she would. Nathalie Baye and Daniel Duval really rub sparks together, whether they are fighting making love or eating out in public. They are on screen nearly all the time and the intensity of their relationship is echoed by the films concentration on them.

The film explores other issues as well. Samuels ethnic background (probably North African) and his attitudes to women, Nathalie and the Successful Sophisticated Parisians in Nathalies circle. Two worlds collide indeed. This film is well worth seeing if at times a little uncomfortable. Brilliantly acted particularly by Duvall who has the difficult task of making his character sympathetic and succeeds.